Shayla walked back to the hospital room feeling solace and peace. Something deep inside her was at rest. The unanswered questions no longer gnawed at her. The uncertainty of tomorrow was irrelevant. All the pain and sadness of the past few weeks was forgotten. Washed away by the ineffable wave of comfort that had washed over her. For the first time, Shayla felt like everything was going to be okay.

The setting sun cast a golden glow over the hospital as it disappeared behind the horizon little by little. Shayla stopped and took it in with a long breath. It was the most beautiful sunset she had seen in all her years. She had the stupid grin of a stoner plastered to her face even after leaving the serene glow of outside and entering the sterile fluorescent lights of the hospital. She went to the front desk and asked for Dr. Sandra Scholl.

Dr. Scholl was busy at the moment, but the receptionist said she could meet Shayla in Grace’s room in about ten minutes.

“Perfect,” Shayla said.

She took the stairs to Grace’s room, and when she arrived, she pulled a chair from the wall to Grace’s bedside and sat in it. Shayla took Grace’s cold hand once again and kissed it. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks, but this time, they were tears of joy.

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“Don’t worry, Grace,” she said, “It’s going to be okay.”

Shayla took the vial out of her pocket, opened it, and drank it all in one swig. It tasted like the purest water. She closed the lid and slid it back into her pocket. There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Shayla said.

“Hi,” said Dr. Scholl in her calm voice, “Have you made a decision?”

Shayla nodded, “I think it would be best to let her go.”

“That’s very brave of you,” she said, “Do you need a moment?”

“No,” she said, “We’ve already said our goodbyes.”

“Okay,” she stepped in, “Are you ready then?”

“Yes,” Shayla smiled.

Dr. Scholl began unhooking things from Grace’s body. Unscrewed IV’s. Took off the breathing mask. Everything but the device monitoring her heart. It beeped at a regular pace for a moment before slowing, then flatlining. Dr. Scholl announced the time of death, then left. Shayla crawled into the bed next to Grace. The monitor’s long steady beep went on as Shayla’s eyes closed and never opened on Earth again.